Morning journal and courier., 1887-08-04
CHAPEL HILL CEMETERY.

Several Persons Heard by the Gommit-
 tee Who Give Various Reasons Why a
 Cemetery Should Not Re Located as
 Proposed.
 General s. E. Merwin presided at the meet ing of the Chapel Hill cemetery committee held in Attorney Hobart L. Hotchkiss' office on Church street last evening to listen to the statements of the signers of the remonstrance against having such 8 cemetery. Among those present were Professor Brewer and ex- Mayor Lewis of the committee, and Messrs. Cleveland Smith, Solomon Mead, Lynus Mead, Professor Lee, Attorney Hamilton and Mir. Andrus, some of the signers of the re- monstrance and large owners of property in 1 the western part of the city.
 Lynus Mead opened the hearing by saying: I object to this cemetery because it would drain directly into the Maltby lakes and Dick erman's ice ponds, and as far as see there is no way in which to remedy this drainage. There is stream running back of the pro posed cemetery which runs into the Maltby lakes; which stream is fed by springs which drain from this property, as the latter is high enough above the lakes to let even the sur- l face water drain into the lakes. The land IS also very springy the west side near the l upper lake, which hardly ever freezes over in spots, and this again would be a g constant outlet for these springs. If the west side could be drained, and I don't see how it can, it would take the water from the lakes, and this would never do, as the Water company would object to having it's water supply cut of. On the east side the land drains into Enos Dickerman's E pond on Derby avenue beyond the Athletic grounds and this again raises an objection, as it would spoil the reputation of the lakes as for as ice and water went if nothing more, as people would neither take ice nor drink water from pond receiving drainage from ceme- tery. know Lake Whitney has cemetery near it's banks, but as it was there before the lake was made don't see that there is any help for it.
 Professor Lee said I came here for in formation and would like to know who ap- pointed this committee to see about this pro posed cemetery and what it is for. General Merwin-The committee, think, was elected at a meeting of citizens in the New Haven House several months ago, to look up this site for 8 cemetery and hear those who demonstrated against having it, but whom we are to make our report to don't exactly know, but shall report to the sec- retary of the meeting held at the New Haven House.
 Attorney Hamilton-I think that this is 8 bad time to have this meeting,as most of the signers of the remonstrance are out of town, and so cannot be here. The objection to the cemetery, as understand it, is that these people living at the upper end of Chapel street are permanent residents, and get their ice and water from Maltby lakes; and as the water is used more from these lakes in this section of the city than any other, don't think they care to use water containing the trainings of a cemetery.
 Mr. Cleveland Smith said-I was the per son who circulated the remonstrance because the drainage spoken of would ruin the water and ice in these lakes and ponds, and also Chapel street, as we don't want to ruin one of the best streets in the city by having cemetery at the head of it. Then again the land is rocky and no place for 8 cemetery.
 Here ex-Mayor Lewis broke in and said-I signed this petition for the cemetery and would sign a dozen others for the same req son, which is that think the city is already dotted with too many cemeteries and because I want to get the cemetery as far out of the city as possible.
 Lawyer Hamilton-This proposed site is not far enough out and should be further, as I don't believe in putting the rotten corpses of the dead in among the living. And again it would stop the growth of the city in that direction, which is the only one in which the city can grow, being shut off on the east by the harbor and the north by the rocks.
 MT. Smith should like to know who are the movers in this cemetery project, MT. Mitchell, the owner of the land, or his mort gagees.
 General Merwin-I don't know, sir.
 Mr. Solomon Mead-I think there are from fifty to one hundred springs on this proposed cemetery, which drain into the lakes and ponds and if the cemetery were built it would ruin them.
 The meeting then adjourned aDd the com mittee had private discussion ot the matter, but General Merwin said no report would be made yet.